This site is dedicated to the 10 precious young Australians lives that are lost every week in Australia to Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young. We aim to raise awareness and preventative strategies for parents and young people. We will also call into question why the Federal Government is totally silent, although aware that over 500 hundred young people die each year from this sudden, tragic event in the apparently fit, young and healthy.

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Sports

Australia is known as a sporting nation and encourages sports participation. There are currently no cardiac screening protocols or awareness initiatives in Australia to protect our youth participating in sporting activities, at any level, from Sudden Cardiac Death.

Young people who participate in regular sporting activities and who have an underlying yet undetected heart condition such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) are three times more likely to succumb to Sudden Cardiac Death.

Italy with a population, three times the size of Australia has had mandatory, systematic pre-participation screening in place for youth competing in competitive sports for approximately 29 years. Studies show the incidence of Sudden Cardiac Death has been reduced by 89%

The European Society of Cardiology & International Olympic Committee recommends Cardiac screening for any young person taking part in competitive sports.

At the least very least screening should include:
• Personal Medical & Family History Questionnaire
• Physical Examination by a Doctor
• 12 Lead Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Australian Government – Department of Health and Ageing is fully aware the prevalence of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy – 1:500. That the condition is not rare and is considered to be the most common known genetic cardiovascular disease.

Cardiac Screening Questionnaire - Please note this may be useful for individuals, sporting clubs and schools to be completed prior to sports participation. It may assist to detect some symptoms however it is important to note many young people with undetected genetic cardiac conditions do not present with any symptoms prior to SCD - refer to Screening Section.

American Heart Association - The AHA supports pre-participation cardiovascular screening for student athletes and other participants in organised competitive sports as justifiable, necessary and compelling on the basis of ethical, legal and medical grounds.